| Texas Towing Compliance |
| ILLEGAL TOWING in Austin, Texas Daily |
The City of Austin regulates the towing fee that towing companies may charge in Austin. You are urge if
possible to catch the wrecker driver hooking up your vehicle in a parking lot, demand they release it. If they
demand any money but your vehicle is not "fully loaded ready to transport" as shown in our video or pictures
shown on this page, immediately call 911 and take pictures of your vehicle with a cellphone for evidence to
show the Police. The pictures you want to take are the stage at which you caught the wrecker driver
hooking up your vehicle.
The Austin Wrecker Ordinance and Fee Schedule requires a wrecker driver to release your vehicle for FREE
if the vehicle is "not fully ready to be towed down the street", as shown in this video. Austin City
Councilman burned by local towing company scams in Austin story
Should a wrecker driver demand any money to release your vehicle still in the parking lot, GET INSIDE YOUR
VEHICLE, LOCK THE DOORS and CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY! Tell the 911 Call Taker the driver is trying charge
an unauthorized fee and please send a policeman.
possible to catch the wrecker driver hooking up your vehicle in a parking lot, demand they release it. If they
demand any money but your vehicle is not "fully loaded ready to transport" as shown in our video or pictures
shown on this page, immediately call 911 and take pictures of your vehicle with a cellphone for evidence to
show the Police. The pictures you want to take are the stage at which you caught the wrecker driver
hooking up your vehicle.
The Austin Wrecker Ordinance and Fee Schedule requires a wrecker driver to release your vehicle for FREE
if the vehicle is "not fully ready to be towed down the street", as shown in this video. Austin City
Councilman burned by local towing company scams in Austin story
Should a wrecker driver demand any money to release your vehicle still in the parking lot, GET INSIDE YOUR
VEHICLE, LOCK THE DOORS and CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY! Tell the 911 Call Taker the driver is trying charge
an unauthorized fee and please send a policeman.
| UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE SHOULD YOU EVER PAY A WRECKER DRIVER IF HE/SHE DOES NOT DISPLAY THIS "VALID" AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT WRECKER LICENSE WHICH HAS THEIR PHOTOGRAPH ON IT AND THE TDLR LICENSE CARD, BOTH SHOWN ABOVE, OR REFUSES TO PROVIDE YOU A WRITTEN RECEIPT. IF A WRECKER DRIVER IS TRYING TO TAKE YOUR VEHICLE AND DOES NOT DISPLAY BOTH OF THESE LICENSES ABOVE GET INSIDE YOUR VEHICLE, ROLL UP WINDOWS AND LOCK DOORS CALL 911 BECAUSE YOUR BEING ROBBED! DO NOT GIVE THE DRIVER CASH UNTIL HE/SHE GIVES YOU THE RECEIPT! CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY! |
| You are urged to call 512-974-5750 to file an offense report for an illegal tow or being charged an unauthorized fee by the wrecker driver, if towed from a private parking lot or any public street by any towing company. (unless directed by a police officer) The Austin Police Department has two detectives specially trained to determine if the towing company, wrecker driver or parking facility committed a criminal offense or violated city ordinance when towing your vehicle. You will need to meet with the detective assigned to your case and give a written statement, so the investigation may begin. If you fail to report this criminal behavior, the same wrecker driver, that forced you to pay your hard earned money, will continue to steal from the public, in this case, it could be a family member or friend. |
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Austin like most every town in the country has their share of unscrupulous towing companies and wrecker drivers that are outright criminals, who's sole
purpose in life is to commit criminal acts against the public. The Austin Police Department encourage victims of private property towing or wrecker drivers
to give a written statement, so they may file charges against the wrecker driver, who in most cases is a convicted felon. If a wrecker driver or property
manager is cited by one of the detectives, the fine is $1064 per violation in Municipal Court.
If towed from a private parking lot without your permission in Austin, PLEASE call 974-5000 and file an offense report for an illegal tow, so a Detective can
investigate, file criminal charges and accompany you to JP Court for the Probable Cause Hearing.
Towing companies, wrecker drivers, vehicle storage facilities, including all their employees must be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and
Regulations effective September 1, 2008. In addition to the criminal penalties of the Texas Towing Law, towing and vehicle storage companies and
employees face stiff administrative penalties for violating the regulations they must abide by. All tow truck operators must carry and openly display the
appropriate TDLR issued original towing operator license upon request by a vehicle owner or operator.
purpose in life is to commit criminal acts against the public. The Austin Police Department encourage victims of private property towing or wrecker drivers
to give a written statement, so they may file charges against the wrecker driver, who in most cases is a convicted felon. If a wrecker driver or property
manager is cited by one of the detectives, the fine is $1064 per violation in Municipal Court.
If towed from a private parking lot without your permission in Austin, PLEASE call 974-5000 and file an offense report for an illegal tow, so a Detective can
investigate, file criminal charges and accompany you to JP Court for the Probable Cause Hearing.
Towing companies, wrecker drivers, vehicle storage facilities, including all their employees must be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and
Regulations effective September 1, 2008. In addition to the criminal penalties of the Texas Towing Law, towing and vehicle storage companies and
employees face stiff administrative penalties for violating the regulations they must abide by. All tow truck operators must carry and openly display the
appropriate TDLR issued original towing operator license upon request by a vehicle owner or operator.
| Important things below to remember for when a police officer arrives |
| YOUR CHANCES OF BEING CHARGED AN UNAUTHORIZED FEE BY THE WRECKER DRIVER IN A PARKING LOT IN AUSTIN IS EXTREMELY HIGH! IF THE DRIVER DEMAND ANY MONEY IN THE PARKING LOT, GET IN YOUR VEHICLE, LOCK THE DOORS AND CALL 911, YOUR BEING ROBBED! |
| BEWARE OF WRECKER DRIVERS & SPOTTERS WATCHING THE PARKING LOT YOU ARE ABOUT TO PARK IN!!!! YOUR CHANCES OF BEING TOWED ARE VERY HIGH!! |
| Austin, being the capital of Texas, with 6 universities, a reputation for tourism, the Legislature, sporting and live music events that draw thousands of visitors, is a prime location, for wrecker drivers to take serious advantage of unsuspecting motorist in parking lots, when confronted with the threat of towing their vehicles. The majority of vehicle owners or operators when they catch a wrecker driver, their first instinct, is to offer to pay the wrecker driver to avoid towing, unknown whether the amount demanded is legal or not, muchless ask for a receipt. Don't risk your safety dealing with a wrecker driver, who may have just been paroled from prison after serving time for murder. Recently, a wrecker driver, that's employed by local towing company assaulted a vehicle owner that required hospitalization because the wrecker driver was demanding more money than allowed by city ordinance. There is currently an outstanding assault warrant out for his arrest. Just a week prior to this incident, involving a wrecker driver employed by another local towing company, a disabled motorist was dragged out of her handicap van after refusing the demands from the wrecker driver to get out, so he could tow her vehicle. That driver was arrested at the scene and his tow truck was impounded by the Police Department. College students, to most wrecker drivers, that tow private property impounds (PPI), are easy pickings, because a lot of parents are paying for their children's college education with a debit or credit card. Whenever UT has a sporting event, many leave the game only to discover their vehicles were towed and learn they must pay $200 plus cab fare to retrieve their vehicle. It really makes no difference where you park, just about every parking lot in Austin bears a towing sign, which was most likely installed by the towing company and it's not uncommon for a parking facility to receive a financial incentive from a towing company. It's bad enough that you get burned by the towing company that the hearing to determine if probable cause existed to have your vehicle towed, is held in a court, that Judge is close friends with towing company owner or attorney, thanks to campaign contributions and bar tabs. The one thing the motoring public can do, is to write your Texas state Senator or House Representative, and demand they sponsor legislation, to amend: Occupations Code 2308.453 to read, "A hearing under this chapter shall be in the justice court having jurisdiction in the precinct in which the parking facility is located", and if the storage facility fails to provide the name, address, and telephone number of the person, property owner, or law enforcement agency that authorized the removal of the vehicle, the fourteen (14) day deadline for filing the request under Sec. 2308.452 does not apply. A registered vehicle owner and voter should be allowed to vote for the Judge hearing their tow hearing, instead of having to drive to another county or precinct. The original statute required the tow hearing to be held in the precinct the parking facility was located, but the towing industry lobby had it changed to benefit their bottomline. On another note, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation are issuing wrecker operator licenses to convicted child molesters and other serious felony crimes. In addition to having a City of Austin Wrecker License, a wrecker driver must be licensed by the State as well. But, should you encounter a wrecker driver that has state license, but doesn't have a City of Austin wrecker license, you should never pay this person any money, if they persist, get inside your vehicle and call 911. |
Were the two red tow lights on the vehicle?
Were the wheel dollies raised up or down as shown?
Were both safety chains hooked up to the vehicle?
Almost ready to go, but missing what? Tow Lights
| If you see a wrecker driver hooking up your vehicle, run and catch the driver, make sure you or your friends can remember at what stage you caught the driver, as in the 4 pictures above. Use your cellphone camera to take pictures or video of your vehicle. Learn and watch our video to familiarize yourself of Austin's towing regulations, so if a police officer is called to your location, you know to tell them why your vehicle was NOT fully loaded to transport! |
| Tell your friends and family about this website, as we have helped hundreds of people just like you! |
| SCAM ALERT If your vehicle is towed, placed into storage and you have a lien holder, you could be subjected to a scam used by an Austin Vehicle Storage Facility to charge your lien holder fraudulent storage related charges. Click Here & Read |
| Your chances of coming in contact with an unlicensed wrecker driver trying to collect money from you or take your car are quite high. |
| MAKE SURE YOU FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE TOWING COMPANY AND VEHICLE STORAGE FACILITY THAT COLLECTED YOUR MONEY WITH THE BAD BUSINESS BUREAU ABOVE. |
| We highly recommend this towing company that obeys the city, state and federal laws. Only employs drivers that are currently licensed by STATE and COA. Cuts no corners, goes by the law. Very courteous office staff, drivers and management team. ELITE TOWING & RECOVERY KIM SCHMOYER / OWNER OFFICE 512-238-8082 SERVING CENTRAL TEXAS |
| To find out if your vehicle was towed and the location of the impound lot within the city limits of Austin, Texas, call 512-974-5000. |
| City of Austin Wrecker Operator License |
| State of Texas Wrecker Operator License |
| A "WRECKER DRIVER" CANNOT FORCE YOU TO GET OUT OF "YOUR" VEHICLE! |
| We highly recommend this towing company that obeys the city, state and federal laws, who has 35 years experience serving consumers with respect and integrity. Lone Star Wrecker James Kokel / Owner Office 512-836-0368 |
| You are urged to file a complaint against the towing company and vehicle storage facility with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations regardless the reason you were towed! File by clicking here. |